Chai Tea Shortbread Cookies
Tea is for more than drinking.
Until I get my hands on some matcha I'm going to keep baking cupcakes and cookies with the tea in my collection because the result is oh so good!
This chai tea from Wight Tea Co has to be one of the best chai teas I've ever had so I thought to myself, this will probably be delicious in cookies!
Artsy Flour Shot
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter salted
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon chai tea crushed up
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. This all depends on your oven. Mine is really hot so I have it on 350 but if your oven isn't as strong you could stand to put it up to 375
- Mix the butter and sugar then add in the vanilla.
- Separably combine flour and chai tea. Add the dry ingredients to the butter, sugar and vanilla.
- Form the dough into a log shape to fit the size you want your cookies to be. Wrap with saran wrap and freeze for 20-40 min.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and cut your cookies to desired thickness. Bake for 11 minutes.
OPTIONAL
- Melt chocolate chips with a double boiler or a bowl over a pan of boiling water.
- Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt
Lychee Peach Black Tea
Peach Heaven.
Tasting part two of the Thao Tea Co samples I received! My only experience with lychee is in martinis, but they were delicious!
The Lychee Peach includes black tea and safflowers.
This tea smells so fruity! The peaches remind me of summertime.
After tasting this tea I really enjoyed it. It had the boldness of black tea which is the taste I enjoy but I still got the sweet fruity fragrance.
The strong aroma of peaches made me feel like I was drinking this tea in a field of peaches! I normally don't like fruity teas but because of the black tea taste, I enjoyed this. I always try tea without any sweetening but when I added honey, the taste turned out like I was having peach honey!
I have been so impressed with the Thao tea blends, I can't wait to try ripe papaya!
If you missed it last time, check out my interview with Thao the founder.
Meditative Mind
Aroma Heaven.
I had the pleasure of trying another tea from The Tea Spot called Meditative Mind. I figured that this would be like chamomile tea but boy was I wrong!
Ingredients: White Tea, Jasmine Pearl Green Tea, Rosebuds and Petals
Let me start out by saying that this is one of the most beautifully smelling teas I've ever experienced. I know it sounds strange to use the word beautiful fora fragrance but as soon as this tea was brewed it emitted an aroma that immediately made me imagine a beautiful scene- a garden full of blooming flowers.
My boyfriend and I must have passed around the glass 10 times, each taking our turn smelling this tea because it was that good. It doesn't note it in the ingredients but to me, the fragrance is so sweet like that of a honey suckle.
Although the fragrance was the most memorable part for me, it had a great taste as well! Just as you would expect from a green & white tea mixture the taste was very rich and full bodied. Earthy is a word that kept popping into my mind. This is where I knew that whoever created this blend did an amazing job. The smell and taste pair so well. Your nose thinks flowers and your tongue things earthy. Flowers grow in the earth so it's an incredible couple to your senses!
I would suggest you get a large slice of rich cake to accompany this delicious tea!
Head over to The Tea Spot and check out Meditative Mind !
Introducing Thao Tea Co
Cantaloupe Mint.
I had the pleasure of getting a package from Thao Tea Co!
So when I opened this package I thought to myself, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOSE WHICH TO DRINK FIRST?! What delicious sounding combinations and the packaging is so cute!
I decided to try the green tea first! I'm not sure if you've read other posts about how I feel about green tea but quite often I don't like it very much. I've had two green teas that I genuinely liked, was this going to be the third?!
This tea is made up of green tea, sunflower petals, chrysanthemum flowers and peppermint leaves.
As soon as I opened the package up the smell filled my kitchen, it was lovely! The first thing that came to mind was cantaloupe gum. There is a distinct minty flavor but it's also fruity so it reminds me of a fruity mint gum. The fruity fragrance is definitely unique. I notice that ripe fruit has a much different smell than other fruit. This was a rich, ripe fruity fragrance.
Now to the best part, the leaves. Look at this beautiful tea! *heart eye emoji*
Annnnnnnnd the verdict is that this tea is amazing!!! Wow, what a refreshing taste. The minty flavor pairs perfectly with the fruit. I think that tea would be even better iced. I can imagine myself on the beach, soaking up some sun with a tumblr full of cantaloupe mint iced tea! I would definitely recommend this! If you want to taste the refreshing flavor too, head over to Thao Tea Co and grab yourself some!
Probably one of my favorite parts about trying teas from different companies is learning their story.
Meet Thao!
1) What inspired you to start Thao Tea Co?
I wanted to inspire others to drink healthy tea instead of unhealthy beverages such as sugary energy drinks or sodas.
2) What is the process behind choosing flavor combinations for your unique teas?
The first question I ask myself is what flavors are not yet out there that I can create and that others would love? Once I decide on the flavor(s) then it goes through a few trials to obtain the perfect formula. We taste every single ingredient separately, then together to make sure they are a good combination. We would create multiple variations of the blends to find that perfect one.
Sometimes blends are even inspired by our travel experiences. Such as our Vietnamese Herbal. This blend is inspired by what we learned about Vietnamese herbal teas during a trip to Vietnam but it still goes through the same process to make sure we find the prefect formula.
3) Which Thao tea would you suggest to someone trying to switch from coffee to tea?
Coffee drinkers are use to the amount of caffeine and the bold taste of coffee so they tend to prefer more bold tea flavors. I would recommend the Lychee Peach, Ripe Papaya, Citrus Yerba Mate, or the Japanese Matcha. Mostly because these blends would provide the bold taste and caffeine kick compared to other blends.
4) People all over the world brew their tea in different ways with different types of tea ware. What is your method and equipment of choice ?
There are different ways and accessories to brew teas but my method of choice is always brewing tea with any glass teaware (I normally used the glass teapot on our website). Brewing tea in glass teaware tastes the cleanest to me. Glass teaware does not interfere with the flavors of brewed teas as it does sometimes in silicone, paper, ceramic, or plastic teaware.
5)What is your favorite vessel to drink tea in?
I love glass teacups because I enjoy seeing the color of the tea liquor through the glass. I even drink teas in wine glasses!
6)If you could go anywhere in the world to have a glass of tea where would it be?
That's a hard one to answer because that would be everywhere! But if I have to pick I would love to enjoy a glass of tea on a beach on an exotic island.
8) What is your favorite Thao tea and why?
Each THAO Tea is special in its own way but I would have to say the Vietnamese Herbal is my favorite. That one is my favorite because the story behind it. I am Vietnamese and last year I went to Vietnam to learn more about where I came from and to connect with my roots. That is where I discovered a Vietnamese herbal tea of which THAO Tea's Vietnamese Herbal is inspired by.
7)What is your favorite tea pun?
"Can't we all just get oolong?" There should be more love and less hate in this world. =)
If you like tea puns too, check out my shop!
Bedtime Brew: Evening Tisane
Sleepy Time Tea.
A little bit about my tea drinking habits. I started young. I became accustomed to the caffeine of black teas at all times of the day. It could be 10 pm, I'd have a glass of tea and be able to fall asleep right away. Because of this lack of reaction to the caffeine, I don't usually go for chamomile teas. It seems unnecessary.
The whole purpose of my blog though is to step away from my comfort zone and try all the teas I've strayed away from. Without further ado, I present to you...Evening Tisane from Wight Tea Co!
This blend is made up of chamomile, lavender, spearmint and apple and boy is it pretty!
To me, this blend definitely has a powerful minty smell from the spearmint. I like the smell for several reasons. One, it kind of reminds me of my favorite gum flavor! Two, the smell is refreshing which gets me excited to take my first sip.
The flavor of this tea is exactly how it smells, minty! I like this because on one hand it's refreshing but at the same time it's soothing. I think any good tea leaves a flavor on your tongue but there is something different about this, maybe because I'm not used to drinking chamomile teas. A few sips into this tea and I was ready to chill out and relax.
I would definitely recommend this to someone who wants a warm tea at night but can't stand the caffeine! The flavor left on your tongue is much lighter and joyful than what is left when you drink a heavier black tea.
Can't wait to try more tea from Wight Tea Co and follow their tea journey. So far all of their blends are so thoughtful and delicious!
Get social with them!
Have you tried a chamomile that you loved? Please share!
Persian Rose Garden
Rose Water.
Rose water is essential in Iranian culture. Rose water is often seen in our desserts, it is an acquired taste for some. Rose water is also an ingredient used when making tea. I went to Rumi Tea and Spice this weekend for their "festival of flavor." I was honored to have some of my tea photography and calligraphy on display. Of course while I was there I had to snag some of their newest tea, Persian Rose Garden!
Hi! This is me being super dorky next to my work :)
The Persian Rose Garden tea mimics the classic rose water tea with whole rose buds and cardamom!
Close up of the roses !
Dry & Brewed Aroma: This tea has an earl grey base and that is definitely the dominant fragrance. The rose petals do place a role in sweetening the smell of the blend. When brewed the scent is very similar but a bit mellower.
The floral fragrance of the tea makes think the tea is sweeter than it is when I taste it.
***NOTE: This tea is perfect with a cookie***
My favorite part about this tea is that the aroma reminds me of my childhood. We would go to my cousin's house every weekend and I remember the adults all sitting and chatting with tea in their hands. As soon as we arrived the tea was already ready and the whole first floor was engulfed with the florals of the tea.
I would suggest this to anyone who loves earl grey or ceylon teas! You can purchase it online soon!
German Apple Pancake
My older sister found a video of a "German Apple pancake" a while back and decided she wanted that to be her sweet. In case you're lost I've mentioned in past posts that for Iranian New Year (Norouz) I gave everyone in my family a ticket for a sweet of their choice, some are still cashing in :)
The recipe is from the site Tip Hero and is accompanied by a really simple and helpful recipe!
Check out the recipe here.
Tips: This recipe was fairly simple but I would suggest cutting your slices a bit thinner, the outcome will be less chunky.
Have you tried any good recipes recently ? Share you favorites with me!
Lifestyle Head Shot Session with Jen S Photography
Photo Session.
I'm apart of a small business group called Rising Tide Society. Since joining back in January, I've been exposed to so many inspirational and talented small business owners! Cue Jen! I've wanted to get some professional shots of my work for a long time and I discovered Jen's gorgeous portfolio.
I'm going to share some of my favorites from the session and also a little more about Jen!
1) What made you start JenS Photography?
I really wanted to achieve something in life that I could truly call my own and be passionate about. It's both scary and refreshing to make your own decisions about your work, but it's a risk I knew I would have to take. Balancing business and my passion for photography is always hard, but it definitely keeps me on my toes!
2) What is your favorite kind of session to shoot?
That's tough to choose, but if I had to I would have to say lifestyle headshot sessions! I love working with my subjects one on one because it allows us to work closely together to create a shared vision. Not only do I get to take portraits, I also get to take detail shots of my subject doing what they love. It's always more fun when everyone is enjoying what they're doing!
3) When shooting a lifestyle head shot session, what do you find is your biggest challenge?
I think my biggest challenge is to make sure that I'm communicating my ideas properly to my subject and vice versa. It's easy for us to say something without thinking about how the other person is interpreting it. When everyone is on the same page, things just go :)
4) Is there any type of photography you're not doing now and would like to start doing?
I love taking lifestyle portraits, and even though that's what I'm doing, I would like to do even more :)
5) When you're drawing a blank, where do you like to pull inspiration from?
When I'm feeling stuck, I like to take a break and work on something else like a hobby where it's okay to make mistakes and clear my mind. Looking at the situation from different angles, (both literally and figuratively) helps too!
6) If you could shoot anywhere in the world where would it be?
I'm not sure about a specific place, but it would definitely be somewhere outdoors with majestic scenery, fresh air, and the perfect climate :)
7) What is your favorite tea?
Hmm... another tough question, but I think for now it has to be jasmine!
8) What is your favorite tea pun?
It sure is taking me oolong time to think of something... ;)
Which one is your favorite photo?!
Aloe Blossom Herbal Tea
Aloe.
If you've read my blog before you know that I'm a huge advocate of loose leaf tea. I think loose leaf has better taste and quality. When my friend approached me with "aloe tea" I made an exception! This tea is made by a company called Forever Living .
I opened up one tea bag to show you what the essence of the tea looks like.
Ingredients:
- Cinnamon
- Orange Peel
- Cloves
- Blackberry leaf
- Allspice
- Fennel
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Aloe Blossoms
- Gymnema Sylvestre
- I had to look this up. Apparently another name for this is "destroyer of sugar." The leaves are used to make medicine for diabetes, weight loss, malaria etc. Read more about it on Here.
- Chamomile
Aroma: There is only one way I can describe this and that is cinnamon dominated. If I were to smell this without knowing what kind of tea it was I would for sure guess cinnamon tea.
Taste: The cinnamon doesn't come out in the taste as much as it does in the smell. There is a dominant orange flavor followed by hints of aloe. There is a slightly sweet taste to it, even though I drank it unsweetened. Probably the most noticeable characteristic is that it was a very rich flavor that stays on your tongue!
Overall, I think this tea wasn't bad but I don't think the aloe taste was for me. I think this is an excellent taste for anyone who likes a fruity tasting tea! If the Gymnema Sylvestre really does what it's supposed to I would suggest this tea to drink just to better your health!
Have you ever had a tea like this? Share with me :)
Sage White Rose Tea
White Tea.
As far as I an remember I've never tried white tea before. This is another tea from my friends at Wight Tea Co. I'm really glad I found them. Not only is it great to support a Maryland business but I really love what they do with their teas. I had the chance to ask Brittany Wight, the founder a few questions about the company!
Sitting Down With Brittany.
1) What sparked the idea to start Wight Tea Co?
My brother and I have loved tea for many years. Eventually, our enjoyment of tea turned to passion. We studied tea, shared everything we learned with each other and started coming up with our own blends using what we had around. We noticed that for tea being one of the most consumed beverages in the world, it was a very overlooked detail everywhere we went. We decided that we wanted to be the ones who would change that.
2) Your blends are so unique, I honestly haven't seen many like them. What is the creative process for deciding what goes in each blend?
Most of our creative process comes from our love of good food and drink in general, knowing what flavors pair well together. We pay attention to food trends for our own enjoyment and use it as we create. Sage Rose White Tea is my favorite of our blends, I think it's initially an unexpected combination of floral and savory that works really well together.
3) What tea would you suggest to a "new" tea drinker?
I would recommend our Evening Tisane to a new tea drinker because it's impossible to get wrong. Herbal blends can steep for a long time without getting bitter.
4) What is your favorite tea?!
Out of our teas, my favorite is the Sage Rose. That was the first blend I came up with and it really touches on flavors I enjoy the most. Overall, though, my favorite tea is a plain jade oolong, which is far from being "plain". On average I drink 3 cups of it a day. As we grow our tea blends, we do plan on incorporating oolongs.
5)What do you envision for Wight Tea Co?
We have lots of vision for Wight Tea Co. Currently, we are looking into participating in local farmers markets and figuring out how to sell to local shops. We want to be in local restaurants and cafes. Keep an eye out for pre-made bottled tea as well.
6)If you could go anywhere in the world to have a glass of tea where would it be?
Tough question!!!! As much as I would LOVE the opportunity to travel to China or India to see the tea gardens, isn't one of the integral parts to enjoying a good cup of tea a space in which you are happy, with people that make you happy? I'm happiest sipping tea with my brother at our parent's dining room table. Is that too cheesy? That's where I would pick.
7)What is your favorite tea pun?
Oh boy... "Make Tea Not War." I guess that's not so much a pun as a parody on "Make Love Not War." Shout out to Monty Python for that one, by the way.
This tea blends together herbal and floral flavors and creates an expected taste!
Smell: The interesting aspect of this tea is that I felt that different aromas were present when it was dry versus brewed. The dry blend has a very flowery scent, the rose and the sage are very present. Once I brewed it however, the lemongrass took control! One of my favorite things to do is to smell the tea before and after brewing, it's kind of a a sense preparation so I appreciated the subtle difference here.
Taste: I'll come right out and say it, I'm not usually a fan or herbal or flowery teas. The taste of many of these blends reminds of me perfume. This mixture however changed my opinion of it. Despite the different aromas of the tea, the flowery taste was more subtle than dominant. The taste was more similar to the bold flavor black tea has and was followed by a bite of flower at the end.
I'm definitely excited to have another glass of this soon!
The Sage Rose White can be purchased directly from Wight Tea Co's website! Head on over there and get to sippin'!
You can also connect with them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter :)
Have you ever had a memorable white tea? Share it with me!